Larry Shenk, Vice President of Alumni Relations, shares his notes, quotes and anecdotes from the world of baseball.

Celebrity Visitors

The legendary Oak Ridge Boys stopped in Clearwater to sing the National Anthem today. On Monday night, they played in Tallahassee but made a stop at Bright House Field before their show tonight in Lakeland.

Since two of the band members hail from the Philly area, they couldn’t have been more excited to perform in front of their beloved Phillies. Richard Sterban (Camden, NJ) and Joe Bonsall (from the Kensington & Allegheny area) were joined by fellow bandmates William Lee Golden and Duane Allen. Country star Billy Dean also accompanied them on the field.

Before they sang, Charlie Manuel introduced himself. Charlie told them that he has been listening to them for years. He also mentioned that his son listens constantly to the Oak Ridge Boys. First base coach Sam Perlozzo also got a chance to meet the band. After singing the National Anthem, the guys walked in front of the Phillies dugout and shook hands with a bunch of players. The highlight for Bonsall and Sterban was meeting Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt.

Phil-InsPhillies have two games, well sort of, on Wednesday . . . Orioles visit Bright House Field for a 1 p.m. Grapefruit League game . . . At 10 in the morning, the Blue Jays and Phillies meet in a “B” game at the Carpenter Complex . . . Orioles game will be broadcast on MLB.com by Jim Jackson and Chris Wheeler . . . The Howard Eskin and Ike Reese Show on WIP 610 AM out of Philly will be live from the Tiki Bar from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday . . . Reese will throw out the first ball for the Orioles game . . . Phillies minor league staff holds its first meeting on Wednesday in the Paul Owens Clubhouse meeting room. Players report on Thursday. Minor league games at the Carpenter Complex will be March 14 through April 2.

Special Birthday WishesGo to RHP Nick Strincevich, who pitched for the Phillies in 1948. He turns 96 today, which matches OF Alex Pitko as the oldest living Phillies Alumni. Strincevich was released by the Phillies 6/11/48 to make room for a rookie right-handed pitcher named Robin Roberts. Nick was the last player to wear #36 before Robbie.

(John Brazer, Director of Publicity for the Fightins’, contributed to today’s blog)

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